Animal trap



' E. o. ANDERSON l Aug. 16, 1949.

ANIMAL TRAP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,Sw @ov Filed June 19, 1947 Aug. 16, 1949. E. o. ANDERSON ANIMAL TRAP I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1947 INVENTOR.

EWzQ/'z/wrz,

, WNQN @wh MN, Ww

Patented Aug. 16,;*1949 *UNITED STAT-Eis PATENT oFFlcE.-; j

, Y Y .ANAPA fr v Elmer 0. lAnderson, Bremerton, Wash.

Application June 19, 1947, Serial No. 755,569

(VCL {3i-*87) Gianna This invention relates to'animal trapsY and more particularly to a snare trap for fur beate ing animals suon as weaselslminks; trunks ano others ofthe same 'size or'smaller.

An object or the invention is to provide a trap that is made of light materials, resulting in a trap that is light in weight and Compact, that will instantly kill the animal trapped and prevent it from escaping from 'the trap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trap wherein all moving parts are concealed within a housing so that` ieeor snow will not prevent the trap from operating, and the 'trap canbe completely hidden in; the hrusho'r dirt with only the trigger exposedwithout danger of the dirt or brush preventing operation of the tra Vith the `above and other objects and advantages, in view, the invention consists of the novel details of construction, arrangementxand combination of parts more' iully hereinafter described. claimed and illustrated in the aecompanying drawings in which: l

Figure 1 is an elevational side View of an ein bodiment of the invention;- j I YFigure 2 is' a longitudinl sectional 'view showf ing thetrap sprung or before the setting thereof:l f Figures is a loneitudinaisectional view show# ing the trap set and locked so that the snare' mai' be adjusted; Y Y

Figure L is a sectional view on the unete! of Figure 3; 1 I j Figure 5, 's a side elevational view of thetrap "in position to trap an animal;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detailed view of the spring locking means;

Figure '7 is a. sectional new on the line 1-1 of Figure 3; Y

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the attaching means for the loop and spring.

Referring more in detailto the drawings, the trap embodying the invention comprises an elongated rectangular shaped hollow housing Y IU, having an open rearend H and a vertically mmpressed and ared'open forward end i2. The outer edges of the end i2 are concave information and provided with teeth I3 for the entire length thereof.

Just rearwardly of the flared end I2, the housing is provided in its top wall I4 with an elongated longitudinally extending slot I5 and formed on the housing at the forward end of the slot I5 are the opposed upstanding apertured ears I6. A pin I1 mounted in the ears IB transversely of the housing pivotally mounts the trigger I8 which comprises the hooked endv I 8 and the elongated curved animal engegingseo tion 20, which extends forwardly of the end Il.

Approximately in line with the slot l5, an elongated longitudinally extending slot 2| is formed inv the bottomwall '22 oi the housing, and formed at the forward end of the slot f2 I, ori-the y housing `hare the depending opposed apertured earszvs. A pin l24 mounted-'in the ears, trans versely of the housing, pivotally mounts-the latch 25 which extends upwardly through-the-slots Il and 2| in the housingfIU-"to be engaged stellte upper free end by the hooked end vIii of thetrigL ger I8. as shown in Figures 3 and 5.

vlftearwardl'y of 'the 'slots It and 2i, -andspaoed therefromto the fullest'extndedlpositionof the latch 25, an inwardlyV crimped rib 25 -is 'formed in ali the walls of the housing, and this rib forms an abutment for the forward end or the com# pression coil spring '2T which is mounted infthe housing l0 and extends longitudinally thin-'ooil l Abuttng the rearvend 4of the springiz'i is a guide platejorplunger 28, which conforms to the cantonner-the housing m, but is ofafsize-to freelyslide therenl'- Extending forwardly of thief plate l28, within the spring '21, and fixed thereto, is 'a vU-shaped wire plunger rod or snare attech= ingv arm 25J-which, at its forward ourvedend, is attached to theY L-shaped coupling' Se hiredv to' the wire snare 3i vby a set screw '32. The wire snare 3|, in set position, as shown in Figurel, extends forwardly of the end l2 beyond the full extending portion of the curved portion 20 of the Extending transversely ofthe side walls 33 and Lrespectively of the housing it, and-mounted inthe opposed openings 35 in 'the side walisgils a bolt having a' ring shaped'head 3'! anda.

nut 38 thereon. This 'bolt acts'as' a stop 'for .the plate 2li, and will `also engage" the 43u! or thev 'combined 'setting andisupporting' I .Y v 'l This rodhas .one end 4I whichs bent atr'rght angles tothe plane of the rod, and both theouter end of the end 4I and therod .proper are. pointed as shown at 1&2i Y"IYherod is carried on ythefhtnif ling by means of the' U-shaped keeper 43 formed on the bottom wall 22 just rearwardly of the rib 26, and a curved leaf spring 44 secured to the keeper 43 inwardly thereof by a fastener 45 will? engage the rod 40 as shown in Figure 2, to retain the rod in carryingposition on the housing. The end 4I assumes the position shown in stated.

About halfway between the rib 26 and the rear end of the housing II), there is formed on the top wall I4 of the housing, a boss 46 in which is xed the rear end of the compression spring latch 41. The forward end 48 is slightly curved as shown in Figure 2, and extends into the housing I to engage the spring 21 by means of a slot 49 formed in the top wall I4 of the housing below the end 48. The end 48 is curved, as shown, to permit rearward movement ofthe springbut prevent forward movement of the spring after the trap has been sprung.

To disengage the latch from the spring to permit the trap to be set, a releasing member 50 is mounted on the housing Ill beneath the spring latch and protuberances 5I formed on -the side walls 33 and 34, forwardly of the member 50, retain the member on the housing, since the boss 48 will prevent movement of the member- 50 beyond the boss 46.

The member 5U completelyV surrounds the housing Ill, and is made of one piece of wirematerial which is flattened at 5I to give proper leverage thereto in fully releasing the latch -4i, as snown in Figure 3. Y

In use, the trap is set by inserting the rod 40 into the housing I0, as shown in Figure 3, until it engages the plate 28. The member 50 is manipulated to raise the latch as shown in Figure 3, and the plate 28 is pushed forward compressing the spring 21. `The latch 25 is then engaged behind the coupling Vill)V so that the free end thereof is received by the hooked end I9 of the trigger I8.

If the snare 3I does not need shaping, the rod .4II can then be removed from the housing, but if the snare needs shaping, the notch 39 inthe rod 40 is engaged with the bolt 3B to hold the trap set during the Ashaping of the snare.

. When the rod 40 is removed, the end 4I thereof may be inserted -in the keeper I3, as shown Vin Figure 5, and the rod isA inserted in the .ground to retain the trap in trapping position, but used for a lure, is placed in back of the snare so. that an animal must pass within thesnare to get Y the bait, thus engaging lthe portion 20v ofv the trigger I8 to release the latch 25, and spring the trap. A chain may be connected to the ring shapedend of thebolt 36 toprevent the trap fromu being moved from its position beyond the limits of the chain attached thereto. Y If it is desired to remove the snare Wire, the bolt 36 is removed, the latch 41 is raised as shown in Figure 3, and the guide plate 28 and its component parts will be able. to bemoved outwardly of the housing I0 through the open rear end thereof. The screw 32 is removed from the coupling and a new snare is again secured to the rod 29 by the replacement of the screw 32. The plate and its component parts are then slid back into the housing l0, the bolt 36 is replaced, and the trap is again ready for operation,

When an animal has been caught in the snare and the trap has been sprung, the spring 21 will pull the snare taut about the animal. The teeth I3 will engage the animal to further retain the animal in the snare, andthe latch end 48 will `bination of parts may be resorted to, provided they fall within the Spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A trap of the character described, comprising an elongated rectangular shaped housing, having an open rear end and a compressed dared open front end having teeth formed on the front edges thereof, a compression spring mounted in said housing lngitudinallythereof, anA abutment formed in said housing engaging the forward end of said spring, aplunger plate engaging the opposite end of said spring, a U-shaped arm secured to said plate` and extending forwardly thereof within said spring, a wire snare, a coupling securing said snare to the front of said arm, a pivoted trigger on said housing, and a latch,` adapted to `engage the coupling on the forward end of said arm and said trigger to re| tain said snare in trap setting position forwardly of the ared end of said housing.

2. The invention as in claim 1, wherein opposed apertured ears are formed on the top wall of said housing to pivotally mount said trigger and opposed apertured ears are formed on the bottom walls of said housing to pivotally mount said latch, and slots are provided in the top and bottom walls of saidihousing to permit free movement of said trigger kand latch within said housing.

3. The invention' as.' inclaim 1, wherein said trigger Vis formed with a hooked end to engage said latch` and a curved animal engaging section that extends forwardly of said ared end within the confines of ysaid snare.A

4. The invention as in claim 1, wherein a spring latch, to prevent yforward movement of said compression spring is mounted on the top wall of said housing and latch releasing means arte 1llnounted on said housing below said spring zilr..MEi-e. o. ANDERSON. REFERENCES CITED The following references Vare of record in the le of this patent: f

' i UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

